Dobson rules out taking Victory reins

Page Tools

Former Melbourne Knights coach Ian Dobson has ruled himself out
as inaugural coach of Victoria's new A-League side, Melbourne
Victory.

Dobson, one of the Victorian Premier League's most successful
coaches, has signed a two-year deal to coach at his old VPL club
Green Gully.

The Englishman, who coached the Knights in their final season in
the NSL as well as to an NSL premiership in 1995-96, replaces Joe
Mullen, who has left the successful VPL side to return to his
native Adelaide.

Dobson is returning to the club where he enjoyed huge success in
recent seasons. He took Gully to VPL championships in 1999, 2000
and 2003 before resigning to take over at the Knights.

But Dobson yesterday said he could not consider taking on a role
at the Victory because the pressure of work in his engineering
business meant he could not devote himself full time to
coaching.

"I am friends with Gary Cole (newly appointed football
operations manager at the Victory) but I can't go full-time because
I am heavily involved with commitments to the stainless steel
fabrications business I work in."

Meanwhile, the Victorian Soccer Federation has registered the
name Football Federation Victoria in readiness for the time when
the Australian Soccer Association changes the designation of the
sport from soccer to football.